In April 1941 the German army invaded across Ljubelj. The road across Ljubelj was the shortest connection from Austria to the sea, marked on military maps of the Third Reich as Strategic road No. 333. Hitler was well aware how important this short route was, across the Karavanke mountains towards the sea. In accordance with his plans to conquer, he decided to improve the Ljubelj road and shorten it with a tunnel. The first works between the years 1941 and 1942, were carried out by civilians for whom a civilian labour camp was built. During the night, from 29th to 30th June, the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion of the Kokra detachment burnt down the camp. Works were not resumed full scale until 1943 when, in the spring, a new camp started to be built. The work force came from the demoralising Mauthausen concentration camp, to which the branch office in Podljubelj was in military submission. The French, Polish, Belgians, Russians and others hollowed out 1.5 km long tunnel through solid rock and so they connected the former Yugoslavia with Austria. To erase the traces of their atrocities, the Germans pulled down the camp. Only the foundations remain and above them a black sculpture of a skeleton which in horrifying silence accuses the Nazi criminals with only one phrase: J´ACCUSE – I CONDEMN. In 1964 tablets were placed on five pillars built around the sculpture, in the languages of the nations to which the internees belonged. A memorial tablet was also placed on the wall in the tunnel. The uncovering of the memorial tablets was connected with the opening of the tunnel which was to bring to fruition the great idea for which its constructors died: the idea of friendly cohabitation between the nations, no matter what language they speak, no matter what their political systems. The internees' persona items: letters, clothes and journals are displayed in the memorial room arranged in the nearby inn.

After a coffee break we will set off to the neighbouring valley, Tržiška Bistrica Valley.

Already, in the year 1941, the inhabitants of Tržič started to unite and fight against the occupier. The commanders of Partisan units soon realised that printed materials can be an additional and equal weapon in the fight against the occupier. Besides military printing the Partisan printing works were also of great importance for the preservation of cultural activity throughout the military units. The secret printing works (technique) of the Gorenjska and Kokra detachments above Dovžan Gorge represents a unique example of courage and inventiveness of the resistance against the enemy. This is one of four places that used the technique. Below Kušpegar's furnaces you will be able to view a detailed copy of the wooden hut with preserved printer's items which among other things, under poor light, also printed a wonderful version of our poet Prešeren's, Zdravljica (A Toast). Approximately 180 metres north of there on one of the Kušpegar's towers was the viewing tower from where the technicians had an excellent view of the only connection of Jelendol with Tržič. From that point they observed the movements of German policemen and members of the home guard and in that way kept secret the existence of the technique until 13th May 1945.

After the visits we will enjoy lunch in a pleasant restaurant ''Pr' Krvin''.